This invention concerns attachment of flexible covers for boats and the like. Flexible or soft covers are conventionally attached by a series of mating snaps attached to the cover and the boat respectively. The snaps are time consuming to install as they require drilling holes in the fiberglass boat hull, and entail excessive maintenance items as they typically fail at a high rate, particularly under high loads as when ice and snow accumulate on the cover. Also, the shrinkage or stretching of the cover may make installation and removal of the cover difficult since the mating snaps become misaligned.
Another attachment method involves using a line threaded along the cover hem extending around the perimeter of the cover which is tightened to secure the cover on the boat. This usually results in loose areas of the cover and may not be secure enough to trailer the boat with the cover on.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,292,913 describes use of a hook feature formed on a boat rub rail channel used to mate with cover fastenings. This approach requires a special form of the channel to replace the standard rail configuration. Also, the hook connection is not as secure as mating snaps.
Rub rail channels most typically are of extruded plastic or aluminum and receive a soft rubber or plastic bumper insert or a length of rope used to cushion impacts.
It is the object of the present invention to provide a flexible covering attachment system which utilizes a standard or preexisting rub rail channel, and does not require holes to be drilled in the hull nor accurate alignment of snaps or other attaching elements on the hull with mating elements on the cover.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a durable and strong cover attachment system which does not require frequent replacement of parts and which is easy to install and use, and is not affected by the cover stretching or shrinking, yet is secure enough to allow the cover to remain in place during trailering of the boat.